1.2.56.3
3.55.7.3
etc

##</code><code>##

1.2.56.3

##</code><code>##

$nums[0] = 1, 
$nums[1] = 2  
$nums[3] = 56
etc

##</code><code>##

#!/usr/bin/env perl

use strict;

my $file = shift;

open(FILE, $file) || die "Unable to open $file for reading: $!\n";

while(<FILE>)
{
    my @sf = split;

    #print "@sf\n"; print test

    my @nums = split(/\\./, $sf[0]);

    #print "@nums\n";

    print "$nums[0]\n";

}